Aveline Vallen to the Rescue!
by TheGirlNoOneSees723
Summary: We all know what happens when Hawke interferes with Aveline's love life but what happens when she does the same for her friend? Constructive criticism is welcome and highly appreciated. Enjoy! Disclaimer: I own nothing.


"Aveline, I need a favor."

"I am not using my guards to rough up some poor soul that had the misfortune to play you in cards, Varric."

"Wait, thats an option? 'Cause I have a list of...No! That's not what I'm here about. Its Hawke, I'm worried about her." Varric said, following the tall red headed Guard Captain into her office.

Aveline sighed, walking behind her desk and sitting down. "I also will not send a patrol after her. Hawke is a capable fighter, just because she went on a venture and left you in the tavern instead—"

Before Aveline could finish that statement Varric interrupted her. Anger that Aveline could think something so petty about him was quickly quelled by the concern he felt for his young Ferelden friend. "The tavern is the reason I'm worried about her," he pleaded as concern rose and threatened to break through in his voice. "Look, I'm not sodding light weight but the girl has been in The Hanged Man out drinking me every night! I swear shes drinking her weight in ale."

Aveline raised her eyebrows. The dwarf was prone to flourish his tales but that was going a bit far, after all only a dwarf could out drink another dwarf and Hawke was just a teenager at best. Before she could say anything the dwarf cut in again.

"Tell me something then, have you noticed her acting funny lately? Past few days perhaps?"

"Well no, I can't say that I have but then again I haven't seen her lately either."

"That my point, no one has. You don't believe me, fine. But as a friend, I'm asking you to check on her. Go to The Hanged Man tonight. Talk to her. If I'm right and something is wrong you will have the best chance out of all of us to help her." With that Varric walked out of her office, knowing that issuing a challenge to Aveline Vallen it was as sure to get done as the sky is blue.

_By the Maker, Varric was right_, Aveline though as she entered the dusty tavern.

"How many has she had?" Aveline asked the bartender, nodding towards Hawke who was sitting at a table in the corner. She had her head laying on the tabletop, face down, with one hand around her drink. Not waiting for an answer, or expecting one if truth be told, Aveline started towards Hawke's table. Unsure of what to expect, she approached with caution. Hawke had never been a bid drinker and she had no idea what to expect.

Before Aveline even reached the table Hawke looked up at her closes friend. Even drunk the girls reflexes and instinct was better than most of her new recruits. Though her eyes were glazed over from having one too many drinks, Aveline could see the hurt and desperation in them.

"Hello Aveline, her to have me deliver more copper coins? Or rub in my face that you got laid?" Hawke's words were slurred and Aveline knew that it was the ale talking. "Speaking of which," continued the poor drunk girl, "why aren't you and Donnie?... Dominic?...Donnic! off doing...never mind I don't need to know."

"Oh shove it Hawke, I came to see whats wrong, and judging by your comment I am going to assume a lot. Spill it."

Hawke let out a loud and obnoxious laugh. "Whats wrong? What's wrong the valiant Guard Captain asks. The better question my dear friend is that **isn't** wrong. My life is a joke. My brother is dead because I wasn't fast enough to save him. My sister is dead because I couldn't protect her. My mother doesn't miss the chance to point both of these facts out. 'I'm the oldest' she says. 'It was my my most important job.' Well, you know what, for three years before we came to Kirkwall it was my job. Look out for Bethany, make sure she no one knows shes a mage. Protect her, don't let them take her away. Watch Carver, save him from the fights he starts. Don't let him get himself killed. I did this, for three years I did this. I protected my family. Put their needs ahead of mine. Never let anyone close to me because I had to protect Bethany. But I can live with all that. I'm used to it. **I'm the oldest**." With tears streaming down her slender face, Hawke raised her glass and drained the last of its contents and slammed it down on the table.

"So that's what has you drinking your arse off?" Aveline quietly asked, feeling like a tone of bricks had been thrown at her. If this was Hawke's problem she had no way of helping the girl. The only thing she would do was buy another round and call it helping.

"Blighted no! I can handle that. What I can't handle is the fact that no mater what I do, men will never see me as anything more than 'Hawke'. Either I am extremely unattractive or I have spent way to much time taking care of my family and no time learning how to be a normal girl." Hawke said as she signaled to the waitress to bring her another round.

"This is about a guy?" Aveline said as she started to laugh uncontrollably. "I don't mean to laugh like this but really, Hawke you are having trouble with men? With the way you helped with Donnic I figured you had no problems in that area. Wow. Was I this pathetic?"

"Shove it up our arse Captain. I'm in no mood for it." Hawke said and then slowly muttered something under her breath that sounded, to Aveline, like "damned Chantry boy."

"I'm sorry, but did I just hear you say 'damned chantry boy'? This is about Sebastian?" Aveline said with disbelief for more reasons that one.

The only response that Aveline received was a quick nod as Hawke raised her new pint to her mouth. This was so unlike Hawke, to be thrown off guard by a man and one that is... well that is like Sebastian Vael. The upstanding prince that grew up in the Chantry was nothing like the mage-loving, ass-kicking Ferelden that she had come to think of as a younger sister over the last four years or so. **Mage-loving!** That was it. Aveline now understood what was wrong, but she just couldn't come out right and say it. With Hawke you had to let her discover things on her own but you could just give her a nudge in the right direction occasionally; and Aveline knew this my just be one of those occasions. She wasn't sure if she was completely right about her guess but she had to be damned near close.

"So, what happened with Sebastian then?" Aveline carefully started. She knew that if she could get out what happened and then question Hawke about the whys of it she could push the young girl in the right direction.

"Honestly I have no idea. I went to talk to him one night in the Chantry, of course cause you know he is **always** in the damned Chantry. And this was after is blighted helped him find out why his family was killed. Stupid demons. And he said that he was going to stick around for a bit before going back to Starkhaven. And he said that if I needed him for anything to let him know, ya know. So I told him that I knew of several things he could do for me and I kinda smiled at him... hell, I guess it was a smile. And he starts talking about how he needs to go pray. Stupid Chantry." Hawke let out a deep sigh and took a long drink.

By this point Aveline knew that she was on the right track. It had surprised her to know that this was about Sebastian because he was just...the opposite of what Hawke was like. Too opposite. So opposite in fact that these two magnets couldn't attract.

"So then, why Sebastian? It's just that I didn't think you liked him like that really. I don't think I have ever heard you talk about him in, well to be honest, in anything other that terms like 'damned Chantry boy.'" Aveline carefully prodded, not wanting Hawke to catch on.

"I don't like him." Hakwe said, taking another drink. "He just seemed easy."

"Ahh. See that's what I thought. He's not really your type and honestly I think you are looking in the wrong direction."

"No offense, Aveline, but you aren't my type. Thanks but no thinks"

"Not me you damned, drunken fool! I think the reason you went to flirt with Sebastian he because he is the exact opposite of what you want."

Hawke raised her eyebrows, not getting what Aveline was hinting at and only catching the litteral meaning replied that she wasn't into women and that Aveline was confusing her with Isabella.

"No you idiot, you aren't understanding what I am saying so let me break it down for you. Let's start with defining what Sebastian is. Sebastian was a Chantry brother. He believes in The Maker. He hates magic. Thinks mages should be locked in the circle. None of which you believe. And that is just his personality, we could go as far and peruse the idea that perhaps he is the opposite you want in looks."

"Aveline shut up. Don't even go there."

Without missing a beat Aveline continued on her tirade. "Looks wise, Sebastian has dark hair, light colored eyes and rather tan skin. So maybe you like the opposite of that. Oh, I bet we could even say that since Sebastian's name is closer to the end of the alphabet that mayhap you have someone in mind who's name starts with a letter from the beginning."

"Aveline,no. Just stop. Right there. Not another word. You are wrong. Way off base with all of that. There is no one in mind. I have no idea what you are even talking about. I'm going home." Hawke said definitively and went to stand up but instead of successfully making it to her feet she just wobbled before plopping back down the the chair.

"Come on Hawke, lets get you home." Aveline said, sounding more like an older sister rather than a friend. But that is was Aveline was, wasn't it?. Someone that Hawke could come to if there were problems. Someone that was there if things like this came up. Sister. The word sounded odd in Aveline's head. She had been an only child but that is what she was to Hawke.

The pair quietly made their way through Lowtown and into Hightown towards Hawke's estate. It wasn't easy for the Guard Captian. Hawke was so drunk that she couldn't walk on her own so Aveline had to pretty much drag her the whole time. When they reached the estate Aveline gave direct orders for Bodahn not to wake up Miss Leandra. Hawke could use a break from having the weight of the world on her shoulders. Just as they were reaching Hawke's bedroom she stopped and looked at Aveline, tears filling her eyes and threatening to run down.

"Do you think he notices me?" Despair was so thick in her voice that it was all Aveline could do to not choke up and cry with her friend.

"Who?"

Hawke sighed. It was a sad one. One that showed how deep her pain really went. Aveline wasn't sure that she was ready to hear her friend say the name that she was thinking. She wasn't sure that she could help to fix this problem, but she knew she had to.

"Anders." The reply was so quiet that Aveline wasn't sure she heard it. The look of hurt and pain on her friends face was enough to make the statues in The Gallows cry.

"I'm sure he does." Aveline said quietly, pitying the young girl and her plight. She helped Hawke to the bed and turned to leave. _He notices you, more than you could imagine. Now to find a way for him to realize it_, Aveline thought as she walked out of the estate and into the cold damp air.


End file.
